Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's War
by cobalt-blue
Summary: When several new students arrive at Hogwarts, the school will never be the same as Harry discovers Voldemort's newest strategy: An army of werewolves! Professor Lupin returns. Cowritten with WolfKitten.
1. Default Chapter

DISCLAIMER:

I don't own Harry and Crew. I along with Kim Nichols (Wofkitten) do however own the Pride and the Directive, and their accompanying characters. They are part of a novel I'm currently trying to get published. (If you ask really nicely I will send you a copy). No money exchanged hands here, and I'm only having a good time with the characters.

It should be noted that this is my first attempt at writing Harry Potter fanfiction. My tastes usually fall to another fandom which I adore writing in. If you're interested you can check those stories out on this board. (And yes Dags and company, this is the same crew from Ties That Run Deep. Since I don't see myself finishing that story anytime soon, I thought I would use them here.)

Arriving at King's Crossing Harry saw that he, was the last to arrive. Hermione and Ron were already there and from the way they were eyeing another group of students, he wondered if maybe something amiss.

The other group consisted of six teenagers- five of which were about Harry's age. The sixth was a small blond boy who was perhaps thirteen and there was something about him that brought out Harry's caretaker instincts. The other five- two girls and three boys were all dressed casually enough in jeans and sweaters, as they looked around the station trying to find something.

The smaller boy seemed to be shivering, as he looked up at another near the Platform 9 ¾. He said in decidedly American accent, "You wanted me leave a nice warm beach for England! It's cold here! I haven't seen the sun since I got here, and from what Vincent told us, there's no electricity there. I'll starve!" he complained half-heartedly. For some reason Harry got the idea that the kid wasn't as serious as he was letting on.

"You will not starve, I won't let you," the other boy told him in the same accent. "You don't have to have electricity to survive." The larger boy next to him said. He was big, blond and from the deep tan he wore, Harry got the feeling that he was more accustomed to the aforementioned beaches than the more dreary weather of the British Isles.

"Yeah, but it's the best when the sun's not out," The boy looked around in disgust, "and around here, that looks like it's most of the time." He looked down at his ticket, "And where in the world is Platform nine and three quarters?"

The tall blond smiled and looked around himself, "That I have know idea about." He gave the smaller kid a smile and continued, "But just remember, Kitten you have all five of us to keep you warm and full of energy. Besides, Vincent said that you would have plenty of food here once you got used to eating it"

Somewhat shockingly, the smaller boy snuggled up close to the older one, insinuating himself under the large beefy arm. He shook his head and sighed, "Yeah but I hate English food. It's so bland, and without the sun I'm crippled. You don't have to have the sun to do what you do." He looked around at the other teens that were listening to him carefully, "And I don't have claws to defend myself like some people we know."

Harry heard the tall boy lower his voice and suggested, "Maybe there will be a another kind of energy there for you. "If not then we'll work something out." He grinned, "As for the claws, "I'm sure the others will be glad to keep an eye on you." He then kissed the smaller boy on the top of the head.

Somewhat mollified, the boy just looks around, "I still don't like it, David. Why couldn't we have stayed in Florida? We're in England for God's sake. That puts us WAY too close to the Directive Headquarters if you ask me. Why don't we just put a sign out, **Werewolf Chow**?"

_ They are definitely not muggles_, Harry thought.

"Because they will never think of looking for us here on their own doorstep." He shrugged, "And if they do bother us they have to get past Vincent." He laughed, "They do that, then we'll see how well they do against the very land itself." He smiled and said in a voice that gave Harry the impression that he was seeing something far off, "And the land around here is very old." As if coming back to himself he suddenly said, "Besides, this is the best place for Nelson to learn control."  
The boy shook his head and then looked over to another Asian student, "This is all your fault Nelson." It was obvious from his tone that he was teasing. "If you hadn't taken to Ms. Cashatte's lessons so well she wouldn't have suggested sending us to this Hogwarts place."

"Hey" the Asian boy said as if he was finally noticing the younger boy. He looked over to see Harry and Hermione watching them and smiled before saying, " Let's ask them if the know where the platform is." He sniffed the air and grinned, "They sort of smell like magic."

Harry did a double take at that comment_. What does magic smell like_? Pushing up his glasses with his finger he smiled over at the other boy, "You're in the right place."

Before he could react however a tall brown haired youth looked over the column hiding the entrance to the platform and ran his hand down it. "There's something weird here. This thing smells funny."

"What do you mean smells funny?" asked the brown haired girl.

The tall youth shrugged, "I don't know. Sort of like Ms. Cashatte and Nelson."

Harry decided it was time to intervene before these newcomers attracted any more attention, Most of the muggles in the station were ignoring them, but these six seemed to be caught up in being away from their home that they weren't paying attention to keeping things quiet. The Ministry would have a fit if they found out what they were talking about out in the open. "You're in the right place," he said. "I take it you're going to Hogwarts?"

"Yes," the broad shouldered beach guy replied pulling the smallest member of there party closer to him. "Can you tell us how to get to the train?"

Harry looked over to Ron and Hermione, and then smiled back at them, "I'm Harry, Harry Potter, and this is Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger." Then looking around he said, "You might want to keep your voice down around the muggles. We don't want them to know what's going on. But to get onto the platform, you just close your eyes and run straight at the wall there."

The guy seemed to be unimpressed with the mention of his name. For some reason Harry found that to be both a relief and just slightly disappointing. The guy relaxed and smiled. "I'm David Rosen," he pointed to the smaller boy under his arm, "and this is Noah Hale." He then indicated the Asian boy the brunette next to him and then a short red haired girl and a tall guy with dark hair, "That's Nelson Funakoshi, Delia Harris, Sharon Windham, and Brendan Carpenter." He shrugged, "We're kinda' new around here."

Harry smiled, "I can tell."

"That bad, huh?" Brendan asked.

Harry laughed, "Just about."

"Ok you go first," Brendan said, "It no that I don't believe you but,…"

Ron smiled, nodded and added, "But you don't believe us."

Hermione seemed to stare at the newcomers for a moment then her eyes became wide, "You're the Pride aren't you."

"Maybe, maybe not." The girl introduced as Delia said. Harry noticed that whereas the rest of the small group was dressed in what could best be described as American casual, she was very striking in her classic black skirt and matching sweater. "And please don't take this wrong but believing is seeing is some cases."

Hermione nodded, "I remember reading about you in the Daily Mirror last year." Harry and Ron exchanged glances. Harry noticed the others exchanged looks as well.

"Someone wrote about us?" the little guy, Noah said. "Vincent did say that we were going to attract attention." He looked over at Hermione, "Yes, we're them." He raised an eyebrow and then looked over at the column. "Just run at it huh?"

Sharon intercepted him and in a playful scolding voice she said, "No running walk fast, but don't run. You don't know what is on the other side." She gave him a smile that seemed to light up the room. "Besides running will attract attention to us."

"Okay," Brendan told them. "I'll go first." He turned to the David, "If I'm not back in an hour, send in the girls to look for me."

"Ok I'll send Nelson for you and the girls shopping," David said with a grin.

"You sure our bank account can handle it?" he asked as he turned toward the platform and walked straight through the wall.

"Wow," Sharon said. "That was impressive."

"You guys go next," David said. "I'll bring up the rear."

Harry turned to Hermione, "The Pride? What's the Pride?"

"I am not completely sure, but I remember that the Daily Mirror made a big deal out of it a few years ago. They kept talking about a type of wizarding that was lost coming back. I'll have to get a back-copy of the papers," Hermione said.

Ron smiled as he grabbed his bag and looked down at the cart and then to the portal through which the others had disappeared. He asked, "Did you guys notice something?"

"What?" Harry asked

"They didn't have any gear. No wands, no bags, or anything else," Ron told them.

"Maybe it is all at school already, or maybe it was all shrunk and in their pockets," Harry suggested.

"You've been reading too many comic books," Hermione said with a huff as she headed toward the wall. "I'll see you on the other side."

"Hey comic books are fun to read, Ron protested as he followed her through.

Seconds later, the three sixth years found themselves standing outside the platform as the train was boarding. So caught up in the excitement of a new school year, they failed to notice that they'd lost sight of the newcomers. Finally settling in to their favorite car, Ron remembered them. "Hey, anybody seen those new students?"

"What new students?" Neville asked.

"A group that Hermione called the Pride," Ron answered.

"A Pride?" Neville asked swallowing hard. "They're letting a pride into Hogwarts?"

"That's what Hermione called them. What's wrong with a Pride at Hogwarts? Asked Harry. Living with the Durselys, a muggle family pretty much left him in the dark about much in the wizarding world.

"A pride is a group of werecats," Neville said. "They were very much involved in fighting against You Know Who," Neville said. "Alone they tend to go mad, as a group or a pride as they call them, they are more stable, but VERY territorial."

"Dumbledore wouldn't let any one truly harmful in at Hogwarts," suggested Hermione

"How do you know so much about them Neville?" Harry wondered.

: Neville looked down, "My Grams told me about them. She said that it was a shame that we'd lost the other forms of magic that was used to settle them because they made loyal allies."

Harry suggested, "Maybe they are here to learn control or maybe the Headmaster invited them."

"Neville can you ask your Gram more about them. You don't have to tell her that there's a group of the them here, tell her we are doing a history project." Ron asked.

"But without the spiritwalkers and elementalists, they're unstable!" Neville protested. They would be a danger to all the students." Neville fixed Harry and Hermione with a stare, "Imagine Professors Lupin's other form with retractable claws and four times as large. Do YOU want to face that?"

"Neville we have to trust Dumbledore to know what he is doing. Besides maybe they are here to find these spirtwalkers and elementalists." Harry countered. "Personally I have always liked cats." He didn't mention that he always liked cats, except for Crookshanks. That cat was just evil.

Neville shook his head. "From what Grams told me, there aren't any more spiritwalkers or elementalists. They all died at the Battle of Carpathia." He sat down across from Ron and next to Harry. "Why do I get the feeling that this is not going to be a good year?"

"You never know; if old Moldiewarts can come back from the dead why can't these spiritwalkers and other things. After all, David and Noah and the rest of them looked stable to me." Harry said.

"If you say so, Harry," Neville said. "Still it seems like every year we get a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and every year you get involved in some kind of trouble. For once, I'd like to have a nice calm year with no trolls, no basilisks, no dementors, no dragons, or anything else," Neville said.

"What fun would that be? Harry smiled. "We are getting a new DADA teacher maybe Lupin is coming back. That would be wonderful."

Neville shuddered but Harry noticed that he smiled when he said, "Anymore fun and it might kill us."

Before Harry could reply there was a soft knock at the door. Hermione pushed it aside to reveal the form of the red haired girl they'd met earlier, Sharon, and the tall dark haired boy, Brendan. "Sorry to disturb you guys," the redhead said, "but do you have any idea how long it will take us to get to the school?"

Neville replied, "About 6 hours or so. Why? He had a very nervous look on his face.

Brendan shook his head, "Six hours? This is not good," he told the girl.. "I only brought two boxes of Double Dutch Chocolate Cakes with me. That'll never last that long."

"Uh," Harry interjected, "There will be a Tea Trolley coming by around three or so."

The boy looked at him and growled with a friendly grin, "I'll be hungry, not thirsty."

"It will have food on it as well," Hermione told him. "But why won't two boxes of cakes be enough. It's just a six-hour trip. It's not like we will be on the train over night or anything like that," Hermione said.

The girl smiled at her, "Don't worry about him. He's just always hungry, and is convinced that if he doesn't eat every few minutes he'll die."

Ron just rolled his eyes, "She doesn't understand. Food is and must be hand even if you're not going to eat it right away."

Brendan laughed at Ron and agreed, "He's right. Food is of the good." He then nodded his head and told the girl, "Let's get back. You know how nervous Noah is right now." He shook his head, "For the kid of diplomats, he's really turned into an agoraphobic."

"He is not that bad, He just wants us where he can put his hands on us." Sharon said turning to look at the four people sitting in the car. "Thanks for the info. Looking at Neville she smiled and added, "You have nothing to fear from us."

Neville swallowed and watched her leave. Harry grinned at him, "See? Now why don't you let me and Ron out so we can change into our robes."

"Ok," Neville said in a hushed tone. "How did she know what I was thinking when she came in here?"

Hermione just laughed, "If she's really a cat, she might have heard you," she teased him.

"Just you wait and see I am right and there is going to be trouble this year. Harry may not be in the thick of it, but there will be trouble." Then Neville laughed as if he thought of something amusing, "Just wait until Malfoy tries his so-called charms on her. She'll use him like a scratching post. That is, if the others don't get to him first."

"Hmmmm," Harry said thoughtfully. "Malfoy could be a problem. If him and his bunch get wind of lycanthropes at the school he might cause problems," He sighed and looked over at Hermione, "We might want to warn them."

Hermione smiled back at him and said with a warning tone in her voice that Harry did not fail to notice, "You mean like Malfoy tried to warn you that first time on the train?" She gave him a huffy look, "You know, about how to avoid the wrong type of people?"

"No not like that," Ron might not always be the most perceptive of boys, but Harry knew that he knew better than to rub salt into some wounds. "We'll just tell them that there are some people at the school that don't like weres and leave it at that," .Ron said as he and Harry left the car.

Harry couldn't help but think that Neville was right. This was going to be an interesting year, and he wasn't exactly sure he'd be at the center of it for once. He wasn't sure how he felt about that. Going to Hogwarts every year and almost getting killed had come to be almost a balm to the living hell his life was with the Durselys.

The ride up to the school had been quiet and uneventful. Once again, Harry noticed that the six newcomers had commandeered a coach to themselves. It was almost as if they were closing ranks to protect each other from outside attacks. He wondered what would cause these strange Americans to become so close.

As they entered the Great Hall, Hagrid was there, awaiting him. Without thought, he Hermione and Ron hurled themselves into the great giant's arms. "All right there, you three," he said pulling them all into a hug.

"Hagrid," Hermione said next to him, "It's so good to see you."

With a gentleness that always amazed Harry, the huge man stroked the back of Hermione's now well-groomed hair. "It's good to see you three too." He pulled himself back from the embrace and smiled, "But Dumbledore wants to see you in his office before the sorting." Hagrid beamed at them, "He 'as a surprise for you."

"A surprise?" Harry asked.

"It's probably something to try to keep you in line," Ron groused with an acid that didn't quite reach his eyes.

Hagrid laughed, "You might call it that." Then with a huge sigh, "But I'm sure you'll like what he's got to show ya." Then turning them toward the stairs he told them, "Now of with the lot of ya."


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer:

Again, I own what I own and J. K. Rowling owns the rest. No money is exchanged here. I'm posting this as a short chapter because of recent issues I've had with my server. (So I'm going to get it posted while I can.) And for the person with the request for a specific type of Harry Potter story: Since this does deal with skin changers, that might make an interesting complication. There WILL be a discussion on the differences between animagus and weres.

Danny

A few minutes later, Harry and his two friends found themselves outside the Headmaster's door. Before they could knock the door swung open slowly to reveal Dumbledore standing at his desk talking to a tall thin man with steel gray hair and shockingly lavender eyes. Although he appeared to be in maybe his early sixties, he had an aura of great age about him. The man was saying, "I can guarantee that he is in complete control now, Albus. As long as you keep those incompetents at the Ministry of Magic from meddling with their potions and shamanism, he'll be fine. And him being in control is what MY charges need."

Dumbledore looked up to Harry and smiled. "Ah, Harry, Hermione, and Ron. I see that Hagrid found you."

"Yes sir," Harry replied. Then remembering his manners he nodded to the stranger, "Sir."

Dumbledore smiled at him, "Please come in." He indicated the man in the chair, "This is Professor Grey. He will be handling part of the Defense Against the Dark Arts classes for the upper years as well as some history courses."

The man smiled at them, "I'm pleased to meet you. I've heard a great deal about you." He had the strangest accent Harry had ever heard.

"Professor Grey," Hermione said.

"What do you mean _part_ of the Defense Against the Dark Arts classes?" Ron asked.

Professor Grey smiled, "He means that I will be teaching some of the upper class students an additional course on the more practical applications of fighting the Dark Arts- namely Sorcery." On either side of him, both Ron and Hermione gasped in surprise. He smiled at her, "I see you understand the difference."

Harry shook his head, "I don't. It thought it was just another term for wizardry."

Professor Grey only smiled at Dumbledore in response to the shocked looks Ron and Hermione gave him. "I see you are having some of the same problems as I am Albus."

Dumbledore chuckled back and said in that calm even voice of his, "Having someone raised outside of the wizarding community can make it difficult in assimilating them sometimes."

"And it's made more difficult when there are forces on the other side that are actively out to destroy them," the professor said. He looked at Hermione and said, "Perhaps you can explain the difference between wizardry and sorcery."

Hermione preened under the professor's scrutiny. She stood up just a little straighter and then in her usual confident voice quoted, "Wizardry is the magical ability that is inherently born into a wizard or witch and can be tapped in particular ways to create spells. Sorcery however is the summoning of extra-planar forces either to bind to talismans to use to reproduce the effects of spells or to cast the spells indirectly." She sighed, "Wizards and witches are born, Sorcerers chose to do what they do."

Ron gave her a hard look and then seemed to notice Harry's confusion, "By extra-planar force, she means…"

"Demons," another voice, a familiar voice, from the shadows said.

"Professor Lupin!" Ron and Hermione said in unison as all three sixth years turned to see their favorite Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.

"But we thought you couldn't…" Ron began and then seemed to realize that he was about to stick his foot in his mouth.

"I couldn't teach here because of being a werewolf?" he asked with a smile. He then looked over to the new teacher and said, "Professor Grey was able to help me out a bit with that problem."

"You're cured?" Harry asked.

The tall lavender-eyed man laughed and said, "No he is not _cured_," He smiled, "He doesn't have a disease to cure."

"But he's a werewolf!" Ron inserted his foot firmly into his mouth and realized it as soon as the words had passed his lips.

Grey stood up and gave Dumbledore a long look. "I have been too long in the New World. It is obvious that the wizarding community has forgotten much of its debts." He sighed and looked back at the children, "Werewolves are not necessarily evil, nor are they necessarily out of control. The Ministry of Magic's insistence of using certain potions to try to treat all werewolves despite their origins is a sign of how much they have forgotten."

"What do you mean despite their origins? Harry asked.

Grey smiled and walked over to where a waning half moon was rising over the lake. "How do you think werewolves came to be?" he asked the trio. It was a question about which Harry himself had worried. The new professor turned and looked at each one of them. "Professor Dumbledore tells me that you three are some of his most promising students. Perhaps you can tell me?"

Hermione shrugged, "A person becomes a werewolf when they are bitten by another werewolf and manage to survive."

The man smiled and raised an eyebrow. "That is one way of course. The way most people accept, but how did the first werewolf come about? The one who was firstly responsible for the biting?"

The trio looked at each other. For once even Hermione was without an answer, something that Harry could see rankled the girl. "Uh, they were cursed?" Ron ventured.

"Not bad," Grey said. "That is one way of becoming a werewolf, or even being bitten by a vampire in his wolf form can sometimes do it." He shook his head as Ron beamed at him. "But it's not the only way."

"There are legends of belts that certain witches and wizards would use to transform into wolves…" Hermione said. "But that's all in the restricted section of the library."

"And yet another way," Grey said. "But there is actually a fourth and a fifth way." He looked over at Professor Lupin and smiled gently. "Another way is to be born to the parents of werewolves. It's not as rare as the Ministry of Magic would like you think. There is a group of sorcerers called the Directive operating out of London who have been breeding werewolves for the past several centuries for the sole purpose of hunting down wizards and vampires."

"Now Vincent," Dumbledore said. "We don't want to frighten the children."

Professor Grey turned to the headmaster, "Albus, these three have faced down with werewolves, basilisks, and Voldemort; somehow I don't think this will frighten them." He shook his head, "That has always been your weakness old friend, you tend to underestimate your own forces." Harry found himself preening under Grey's praise.

"Very well," the headmaster said. He turned to the other three and sighed. "Professor Grey and I have spoken of this and he's convinced me to try something new this semester. In the last few years, a lack of knowledge in an attempt to protect you has led you into danger as you try to discover what we've kept from you. This year, we're not going to hide things from you." He fixed Harry, then Hermione, and finally Ron with a gaze. "Mind you, this information is for your use only. It is not to go beyond this room."

All three young wizards nodded and swallowed hard as the realization of the trust that Dumbledore was putting in them. "Yes sir," they said in unison.

The headmaster turned back to Professor Grey as he took a deep breath, "I must admit, that _your_ charges have done well under this philosophy Vincent, so I hope it works with these three."

Professor Grey smiled, "Thank you Albus." Then turning back to the three of them he continued, "These sorcerers have bred packs of werewolves to work alongside their hunters to track down and slay not only wizards and witches but any creature they consider unnatural; vampires, other skin changers, elves, anything that is not what you call a muggle, or another sorcerer."

"And these werewolves are born?" Harry asked.

"Yes, and they have much more control of their forms. They can choose to summon the wolf anytime they want. Although they become more aggressive, and extremely unpleasant during the full moon, they do not become totally insane like those who've been bitten by a werewolf."

"You said there was a fifth way to become a werewolf?" Hermione asked.

"Very good young Miss Granger," he said, "So I did." He turned to look at Professor Lupin, "And your esteemed Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is one of those."

"How?" Ron asked.

"There is what we call a pure breed werewolf. They are extremely rare and only a few dozen in the whole world. These are people who are descended from a small pack of wolves that learned the secret of becoming human. The children that resulted when they took human wives and husbands are pure breed werewolves, and they are among the most powerful of all." He sat down and looked over to Professor Lupin again. "Professor Lupin here is one such. The gene doesn't always breed true, but when it does, it produces a powerful warrior for the forces of good. The potions that he was using would work on a normal werewolf to keep them from changing or to keep them unconscious during the change. However, it simply confused Professor Lupin's instincts. For the most part he now has perfect control over his form."

"I will forever be in your debt for that, Professor Grey."

Professor Grey shrugged, "It was nothing. When I found out what Voldemort was doing, I realized that it would place both our peoples in danger."

"What about Voldemort?" Harry asked, his ears pricking up.

The adults in the room once again exchanged glances. Finally Professor Dumbledore said, "He has made an alliance with the Directive and intends to turn those forces loose on the wizarding world."

"But why hasn't someone told Minister Fudge?" Hermione asked. "Surely he could do something."

Professor Grey shook his head, "Not this time. The Ministry has already been infiltrated Voldemort's forces once. I'm sure the Directive has a few moles in there as well. It is best if we keep this under wraps."

"So you brought the Pride here to hunt down the werewolves and Voldemort?" Hermione asked.

The three adults all chuckled. "Heavens no," Professor Lupin said. "They were brought here because one of their members is a wizard, a mage as they refer to him. He needs training, and the others need to be with him."

"Plus it would not hurt them to see how the wizards of Europe live. They've had little experience among spell casters. They tend to withdraw into themselves and lock out the outside world. Although this is their strength, it leaves them with little knowledge of those whom they are to protect."

"Protect?" Harry asked.

Dumbledore stepped in, "The Prides were created to protect wizards, witches, vampires, and elves from themselves and each other. Think of them as sort of a police force that has been gone for too long and is just now returning to the world. They are here to help protect you Harry, and to learn about our world."

"Aren't there schools like Hogwarts in America?" Ron asked.

Professor Grey smiled, "Yes there are, but our roots are still here in Europe, and Hogwarts is the best Europe has to offer. I want my charges to be able to see certain aspects of the wizarding world over here so they might best know how to deal with it at home." He cleared his throat carefully, "There are certain prejudices here in Europe that they will eventually have to deal with and I want them to see that not everyone holds those prejudices."

"Prejudices?" Hermione asked carefully.

Grey nodded, "Yes prejudices. Most of them stem from the old aristocracy that pervaded the continent for centuries. But this idea of wizard born and muggle born wizards being somehow different is still pervasive here. I want them to see it, to understand it and from where it comes before they have to deal with it up front."

"To be honest Vincent," Dumbledore said, "You want to make sure that they don't use it as an excuse for doing something unpleasant when dealing with European wizards."

"I thought that was what I said, Albus," Professor Grey smiled back.

"So we are here, why?" Ron asked.

"Because you three have a tendency to ferret out any secret in the school that catches your eye. Therefore, we're going to tell you what is happening from the beginning; that is about the things that ARE your concern," Lupin said.

"Such as?"

"That there is a Pride here. That they will be taking part in the classes in which they _can_ participate- they are not all wizards, but each does have certain abilities that can benefit from what is taught here," Dumbledore told them. "Also that there is a chance of a werewolf attack on the school. Voldemort is very unhappy with Hogwarts and he's starting to see it as a thorn in his side. Therefore, he's very likely to send packs here and I think that you three and a few others could benefit from learning from those who've had a great deal of success in fighting werewolves and sorcerers."

"Yes sir," Ron said in awe.

"Uh sir?" Hermione asked.

"Yes?" Dumbledore answered.

"Just so that we can work with these students better, what are we going to do if they are not sorted into Gryffindor?"

Dumbledore smiled, "That won't be a problem Miss Granger," he told her. "It is not usually done, but for the duration of their stay here, they will be considered part of Gryffindor House, but not sorted. That way, we can assure that you will be associated with them."

"That's good," Hermione said. "It will be nice to have a few new girls in the Gryffindor girls dormitory."

With a great sigh, Professor Grey added, "I think that perhaps a bit of an explanation is called for here." He looked at the three friends and smiled, and for just a moment Harry was sure that the older man blushed. "Due to the unusual nature of having a bonded pride of werecats in the school, they will be housed in a single dormitory in the East Tower off of the Gryffindor suites."

The idea of coeducational dormitories shocked Harry but it was Hermione who commented, "Sir?"

"Werecats needs to be together, Miss Granger," Dumbledore told them. "Especially around the new moon when their cat is nearer to the surface." He smiled, "Think of your familiar Crookshanks, what does he do immediately upon your return to your dorm?"

Hermione seemed to consider his words; "He wraps himself around my ankles several times and then jumps into my lap to be petted."

"Exactly, cats are physical creatures who need to touch and be touched by each other. I'm afraid the level of intimacy needed to maintain their stability would make it difficult for them to be in the normal dormitories. The other students would not understand." Professor Grey told her. Then giving each of them a careful look he added, "I can count on your discretion, I trust?"

Each of them nodded.

Dumbledore smiled, "Good, now off to the Great Hall with all of you. It will soon be time for the sorting."


	3. The Sorting

Author's note:

I apologize for the short chapters but it's time to get my classroom ready for the school year so I'm sort of doing this as catch as catch can. Thanks again for reading and reviewing.

David gathered his pride around him as he warily watched the other kids in the Great Hall. Although he'd tried to comfort Noah about the idea of moving from Florida to attend this school, he still had his doubts. Of course trying to hide those doubts from Noah was nigh impossible, but still he tried.

He looked down at the robes he was wearing over the school uniform and shook his head wondering how in the world he was supposed to move in the damn things. He missed his jeans and tee shirts. Smiling he looked over to where Brendan seemed to be suffering even more than he was. It was a cruel thing to put a robe on a cat, especially a tiger.

He noticed the other students were trying to not stare as they sat down at the table with the griffin banners hanging over it. Vincent and Professor Dumbledore had informed himself and the others that they would forgo something called the sorting and would be placed directly into Gryffindor House. Noah had informed him that it was for two reasons, the first being that the head of Gryffindor House was something called an animagus, and that she could take the form of a cat. He guessed that was appropriate enough. It was the second reason however that had given him a little more comfort. Gryffindor House had an adjacent tower that would serve as quarters for himself and his pride avoiding embarrassing questions that might arise if they were housed with the other students- especially come the new moon.

"What is it about all the newbies that make them automatically assume that they'll end up in Gryffindor?" a smug looking blond asked from across the aisle. He had the air of someone who reminded themselves of just how important they were no less than ten or twelve times an hour. David noticed that there was a coiled serpent on the house shield of the boy's robes.

David ignored his remarks and turned back to his friends, "So, is everyone adapting?"

Brendan held his arms out in front of himself and looked at the robes, "How do they expect a person to get around in these things? I've already got the hem caught in two doors." He shook his head and gave David a hard look, "I don't like the idea of wearing a dress."

"It's not a dress, it's a robe, and Mrs. Cashatte warned us that we'd have to wear them," Nelson teased. "Besides," the young werecougar grinned, "you look good in a dress."

Brendan promptly stuck his tongue out at his pridemate. "Keep that up and I'll tell Sharon who it was that untied her bikini top last week at the beach."

Nelson gave him a mock look of shock and replied, "Okay, I take it back. I take it back, just don't rat me out to _she who is without sheaths_."

David chuckled at the interplay. He knew it was the cat in them trying to work off the nervous energy of being in a strange place that was obviously someone else's territory. It would take a while for them to work out their place in the school and social strata. The quiet teasing was a good alternative to their usual wrestling matches that occurred when they felt out of their element. "You two play nice." He looked around and said, "I would tell you not to scare the normals, but I get the feeling there aren't any of those around here."

"And they're bloody Yanks. I bet they're mugbloods too. Dumbledore will let just about anybody in here these days," the blond said a little louder.

From the gasp that went up from the table around him, David assumed that this was some kind of wizarding insult. Realizing that the boy would not shut up until he was at least acknowledged, David turned to him and said. "I'm sorry. What were you yammering about?"

Pleased that he was finally getting a reaction the boy said in his rather irritating upper class British accent, "I was just saying that the quality of the students seemed to be going down hill of late."

David looked him up and down and smiled coldly making it clear that he found the other boy wanting. He said, "It would appear so." David turned back to his pride.

Behind him, he could hear the boys strangled reaction. Before anything else could be said, Professor Dumbledore entered the room followed by the other teachers. David noticed that Vincent was with him looking resplendent in his associate professor robes. He wondered if Dumbledore realized just how lucky he was getting someone like Vincent to teach at the school. Vincent had seen small bands of roving nomads become the Egyptian Dynasties, he'd watched the classical Greek Age come to fruition, as well as watched the rise and fall of the Roman Empire. He'd been fighting the forces of evil for most of the history of man, and knew secrets that would give the most jaded of archeologists wet dreams. The headmaster took the podium, cleared his throat and said, "Welcome to Hogwarts."

The student body immediately settled down and gave him their attention. The blond however leaned over to David and whispered, "This isn't over Yank."

David said quietly under his breath, "If you say so."

Dumbledore continued, "As many of you have noticed, Gryffindor has several new students before the sorting has even begun." He smiled over at David and his pride. "They are our guests who will be taking part in some of our curriculum to see how things are done here in Europe." He let his gaze waft across the room seemingly unfocused, almost doddering, but David got the distinct impression that his mind was cataloguing everything he saw. "Due to the unusual nature of their skills and training, they've been placed into Gryffindor House where it is hoped that several of those students will help them adapt to being away from their home. They will be housed in the adjacent tower to that house to simplify matters."

He turned back to face his faculty with a gentle smile before returning his attention to the room, "As many of you can see, we are happy to welcome back one of our most talented teachers, Professor Lupin." A small gasp went up through the hall and David heard the word _werewolf_. He didn't have to see his pride tense at the word werewolf; he could literally feel it through the link they all shared via Noah. Dumbledore continued, "He will be joined in his endeavors by a very special associate instructor. Please welcome Professor Grey to Hogwarts." A polite applause went through the Hall as the three students they'd met at the station joined them. David watched as the one who identified himself as Harry exchange smiles with Professor Lupin. They were obviously acquainted.

Harry nodded to him and the others before taking his seat saying, "Sorry we're late. Professor Dumbledore wanted to see us before the sorting." He leaned across the table and whispered, "He wanted us to make sure you got settled and everything."

Noah smiled back at him and said, "No problem." He gave Harry one of his best _little boy_ smiles and said, "And thanks." Through the link he shared with Noah, David could feel that his lover was distracted by something. It was almost as if he was listening to several other people talk at once.

"And now we will begin the sorting into houses," Professor Dumbledore announced as a group of younger students approached the raised dais where the teachers ate.

David watched with interest while a strange floppy hat was brought out. He was somewhat shocked when it was placed on the first student's head and one of the larger creases became animated into a wide grin of a mouth that announced loudly, "Hufflepuff!" From that point on, each child was separated somewhat unevenly into one of four houses. He noticed that Ravenclaw seemed to get the most students.

When the last child was sorted, Professor Dumbledore announced that the feast would begin and suddenly the empty tables were laden with all different kinds of food. He grinned over at Noah, "See, I told you that you wouldn't starve."

Noah just grinned as he filled his plate with several pieces of fried chicken and then heaped his plate high with mashed potatoes. David knew that Noah had spent a great deal of energy in the past few days and that the overcast skies of England were not helping him replenish it. He was somewhat afraid that the smallest member of the Pride was about to astonish their hosts with one of his rare displays of appetite. "At least I don't have to worry about eating Martha out of house and home." Again he stopped and looked over his shoulder as if he were listening to someone else. A brief smile crossed his face.

"What?" David asked.

"Ghosts," Noah said. "This place is full of them."

As if in response to Noah's comment, suddenly the room was full of semi-transparent figures gliding too and fro. Across from him, Harry hailed one in particular, "Hello, Sir Nicholas."

The ghost glided forward with a huge grin on his face, "Hello Harry, Hermione, Rod," the ghost said. "I trust that you had a good summer." The three nodded affirmations. Nicholas then turned to David and the pride and said rather formally, "Welcome to Hogwarts. May you bring the peace and protection of your forbearers to this place." David noticed the other ghosts in the room all nodding their agreement to the salutation.

David nodded back to them and said, "Thank you." He grinned, "Uh do you mind if I ask you a question?"

The ghost smiled and answered, "Go right ahead young man."

"How is it I can see you. I mean usually it's only Noah who can see spirits."

The ghost smiled and held his arms out, "It is this place, Hogwarts. It's magical. All can see us here, not just the Spiritwalkers."

At the mention of the word _spiritwalker_, the rest of the room turned to look at Nicholas. The word reverberated throughout the room. Nelson shrugged over at him, "I guess the secret's out."

David smiled back, "I would say so." He looked around at the stares the table had garnered and sighed. "So much for keeping things under wraps."

Across from him Ron's face suddenly took on with a startled look as he gazed over David's shoulder. David smiled at him and asked, "Why do I get the feeling that someone who makes you uncomfortable is standing behind me?"  
"Snape," Ron hissed under his breath.

David turned to see a tall whip thin man with oily black hair and dark eyes staring down at him. David raised an eyebrow when the man looked over at Ron and said, "That's _Professor_ Snape, Mr. Weasley." Then turning his gaze back at David he said, "Professor Dumbledore wanted you to keep certain things to yourself, Mr._ Rosen_." There was a definite distaste in the professor's stressing of his last name. David had encountered it only occasionally back in the States, but it seemed more prevalent here in Europe. There was definitely a tone of anti-Semitism in it.

David looked up and considered a retort but decided better on it. There was no use in making an enemy of the man right off the bat. "I'm sorry sir. It was Sir Nicholas who announced it, not I."

The professor looked down his beak-like nose at him and grunted, "Nevertheless, you have violated the headmaster's orders. Five points from Gryffindor."

From his companions' reaction, he gathered that the last statement was a bad thing. He looked over at Harry, "What does he mean by that?"

"Demerits," Hermione said. "Five points have been deducted from our house toward the House Cup competition."

"Demerits?" Brendan commented. "Oh great, a demerit system, just what I need." He looked over nervously at Sharon and then to David and Noah. "That's just what you two need too. Somehow I get the feeling that our natural inclinations are going to cause our new found friends problems."

"I don't understand," Harry said. "What is a Spiritwalker and why wouldn't Snape want you to mention it to anyone?"

Noah sighed and leaned back. Through their link, David could feel the knot of worry that was starting to form in the smaller boy's stomach. He knew that even though he needed the energy, there was no way Noah was going to be able eat now. "Noah is a Spiritwalker. It means he can't be lied to, and that not only do the dead talk to him, they seek him out to tell him things."

"What do you mean he can't be lied to?" Ron asked.

"He's a mind reader," Hermione said. "I read about them in _Chronicles of Balance_." They were created to keep those in the wizarding community honest. It's a power no other wizard has or can have." She gave Noah a long look, "But according to what I've read, your kind died out about four hundred years ago."

Sharon shook her head, "Look, I don't think this is the kind of thing we want to be talking about in public." She indicated the stares they were getting from not only other tables but their own. The others nodded as they finished their meal in silence. They would talk later, when there were no prying ears to listen.


	4. Settling in

Author's note:

Sorry this has taken so long to update. I've been extremely busy with my students from hell this year and getting my certification transferred to another state. I hope you like this continuation of the story.

Danny

"Your tower will be up this way," Ron said as he led the small troop toward the East Tower of Gryffindor House. "To be honest, I've never been up here, but according to Hagrid it's been made ready for you to occupy." Hermione watched him carefully from the corner of her eye. She felt a small pang of pride in her friend as he grew into his role as head boy.

"I'm sure we'll be able to cope," Brendan said looking back at his friends. It was obvious to all of them, that the youngest, Noah wasn't coping very well. He looked like he was ready to bolt any minute. Hermione's heart went out to him.

"If you need anything, let Professor McGonnagal know and she'll see what she can do," Ron told them as he pushed past the door into central room of the suite.

Hermione was surprised at the size of the suite. There were six large beds in the circular hall, each of them with heavy velvet curtains. In the center of the room was a huge dilapidated old fire pit that looked like it had seen better days, a steady fire licking at its sides. Three large wardrobes and a chest stood off to the side as well as a large scarred table to use for a desk. Hanging from the dormer windows were a pair of old curtains that she wouldn't have used for a cleaning rag. On the walls, to fight the chill were several threadbare tapestries, their colors long faded to dun. Hermione couldn't help but turn up her nose at the sparse furnishings, thinking that a school as prestigious as Hogwarts could do better by its guests. "Surely, this is the wrong room," she told Ron.

Ron shook his head sheepishly as he looked around at the poor furnishings, "No. This is the room."

"It's fine. Really it is," Sharon said looking around. "It's bigger than we're used to, and we can adapt it to our needs just fine." She shook the curtains on one of the beds and noted approvingly that it was dust-free. "At least it's clean and warm. Those are our main concerns."

"Still, I think there should be more," Harry said at her side.

Delia gave him a long look and smiled, "Don't worry about it, Harry. We're used to being somewhat independent of the world around us. This is more than enough." Her eyes twinkled with some mischief as she looked at the beds and added, "Of course we'll have to make some modifications."

"Well, if you need any help…," Ron said uncomfortably.

"Thank you for the offer," Sharon said, her green eyes burning with an inner light as she walked up to him. With a gentle laughter, she stroked the side of his face as Ron gulped air. "And don't worry. We're not going to hurt you."

"I…, uh… my head knows it," Ron said.

"But you're still nervous," the girl said softly.

Ron nodded, "How did you know?"

"Because you're projecting it. Like your friend Malfoy projects his own insecurities," she told him.

"Trust me," Harry interjected. "We and Malfoy are **not **friends."

The girl turned to face Harry and smiled, "Sorry, poor choice of words on my part. Still, you shouldn't be afraid of us. We're not going to hurt you."

"Sharon," there was a warning tone in David's voice. "He'll get used to us." He shook his head and looked over toward Hermione, "It's a natural's normal reaction to the werecats. In some people it sets off a subtle but powerful fight or flight instinct. After a while you'll get used to it."

"Fight or flight?" Hermione asked. "Like a person's normal reaction to a big cat?"

"Most people are always a little nervous around them."

"But you're not?" Hermione asked before looking over at Noah, "Or you?"

Both boys shook their heads. Noah replied, "No, I'm not nervous around them. To me, they're somewhat calming, but then again, they're my pride. I'm nervous around other people though."

"Why?" Ron asked. "If you can read other people's minds, wouldn't that make it easier to know what people were really like?"

Noah nodded, "Yeah, and that's the problem. I can usually pick up all the little nasty thoughts that people don't even know they're having. After a while, it's gets difficult to keep up the shields." He gestured to his friends, "With these guys, I don't have to worry about what they're thinking."

Hermione listened to the boy and realized that perhaps being able to read minds wouldn't be such a nice thing after all, especially if one couldn't turn it off. "I think I understand." She turned to Ron, "What she's trying to tell you Ron is that she's not going to eat you."

Ron nodded as his ears flamed bright red, and he snapped at her, "I can understand English Hermione. I don't always need you to translate for me."

Noah just smiled at them and gave Ron a knowing look. Turning back to her, his voice breaking into a high falsetto, he said, "Still, it's nice to meet other people who can understand what we are without judging. You have no idea how much we freak out the kids at our high school back home."

"I can imagine," Harry interjected. "Probably about as much as I used to freak out the kids at my school. I still make my aunt, uncle, and cousin nervous."

"It's part of being different, what makes us unnaturals," David said going over and putting a protective arm around Noah. The younger boy seemed to melt against him as if he was drawing strength from David. "Maybe one day it won't be so, but I don't think that will be in our lifetimes."

Harry shook his head, "You're probably right." He looked around as if sensing something else and took Hermione and Ron by the arm. "I think we'd better head back to our suites. If you need anything just let us know." He began to pull them back from the room and shut the door.

"What was that all about?" Ron asked when they were down the stairs a ways.

"I was beginning to get the impression that we'd overstayed our welcome. Did you notice how agitated Noah was getting? I think that there is still more going on with our new friends than it would be polite to inquire about just yet."

"I'm sure you're right," Ron said.

"So?" David asked the trembling form against his side, "What's got you so upset?"

The smaller boy looked up and smiled, "I'm not really upset. Just out of sorts. It's all coming at me kind of fast." He shook his head to fight back the memories all this sudden change was dredging up. Those first awful days of drugged stupor in the Middle East, right after his parents had been murdered kept coming back to him. The feelings of helplessness and loneliness he felt as he was being shoved through the courts and assigned to the Pates as a foster threatened to crash over him like a wave of sorrow. He was doing his best to shield his pride-mates from it, but he knew that it was leaking through. He shrugged and snuggled closer to his lover, "I guess I'm just trying to cope with the changes. I'll get used to it."

As soon as the words left his mouth, he knew that his feelings had leaked through the link. Suddenly Sharon and Brendan were kneeling beside him, stroking him gently, soothingly. "It'll be all right Noah. None of us are going anywhere," Brendan said to him gently.

"I know," he replied to the dishwater blond as he taped his head. "Up here. In a few decades, I may even be able to convince my heart of it."

Brendan just smiled and pulled him away from David and sat him one of the beds with him. Noah saw the other boy give David a knowing nod as he sat with him. "It's only until Nelson learns to control his mage-gift. Then we're outta' here faster than Skanke after a donut."

Noah chuckled at the allusion to one of their favorite television shows. "I'll cope Brendan. Don't worry about me."

Brendan bent down and kissed him gently, "Hey, worrying about you is what we do. Just like you worry about us."

"Hey, that's my boyfriend!" David protested in mock outrage as he looked back over his shoulder from where he was surveying the room.

"Hey don't get your shorts in a bunch," Brendan said. "We all share."

David chuckled, "Of course." Then looking around he shook his head and said, "This is not going to work."

"So what do you plan to do about it?" Nelson asked.

David turned to Nelson and with a voice thick with mischief asked, "Do you think our hosts would object to a little rearranging of the castle's interior?"

Nelson shrugged, "Well, to use one of Brendan's favorite terms: what they don't' know won't hurt them." Then more seriously he asked, "Can you do it without it being felt outside this room?"

David nodded, "I think so."

"Then do it," Brendan told him as he looked around. "I for one have no desire to deal with six beds scattered around the room." He put a possessive arm around Sharon and smiled.

Noah watched as his lover nodded again and sank to the floor cross-legged. A peaceful far-away look came across his face, and Noah could feel the Pride's elementalist begin a long conversation with the very stones of the castle. He could feel the warmth of the discussion flow down the link he shared with the muscular boy. In a few moments, the very room began to shift under them. "I think maybe we should get off the beds," Delia said.

"I think you're right," Nelson agreed.

Noah watched in amazement as the very stones in the room re-arranged themselves. The low wall around the fire-pit hardened and became granite. The beds sank into the stone floor, which literally rearranged itself to form a long low platform, complete with one big mattress and bedding near the pit. The table sank into the floor to rise again as a slab of shining marble. The wardrobes melted back into the walls to emerge later as built-in closets. The tapestries seem to glow for a moment as they regained their luster. The very curtains on the dormers became heavy velvet, as did the seats and back of the stone chairs that rose next to the table. In the center of the room, the fire flared and then six tiny fireballs flew from it to embed themselves into recesses that dipped out of the walls. Noah could feel the heat in the room increase from the extra fire, and felt himself relax as their warmth fed him.

David looked up, sweat pouring from his brow and smiled, "See, I told you, you wouldn't starve."

"Don't overdo it, Dave" he replied. "You've got limits too."

David nodded, "I know my limits. I won't dip into my reserves. I promise." He stood and looked around the room. That's better. It's more like home.

"Hey, even the floor is warm now!" Nelson said as he looked at his feet.

"Yep," David said with a smile. "The fire now runs through the very stone in the floor. I hate to get up to a cold floor in the morning."

Nelson smiled. "I know what you mean."

"So do you think anybody outside of this room heard you?" Brendan asked. Noah knew that Brendan was concerned about the safety and anonymity of the pride. Between he and David, the two were able to head off a lot of trouble for them long before it became a problem by making sure nobody got suspicious.

David shook his head, "I can't be sure with all these mages around, but I don't think so. The stones told me they would be quiet doing it."

"Good," Nelson said.

"So what now?" Sharon asked.

"We unpack, and get settled. I get the feeling that it's going to be a long first week or so."

"I think you're right," Nelson replied. Then stopping to think for a moment, he added. "And guys, thanks for sticking this out with me."

"Hey, it's what we do," Brendan said as he bent down to kiss Nelson on the top of the head. "We're a pride, we're family. We stick together."

"Mr. Rosen," Professor Snape's voice dripped with contempt, "would you kindly tell me what the difference between diamond and common coal is?"

David sat up, "Diamond and coal sir, are actually the same material, but the atoms are simply arranged slightly differently in each of them. Diamonds have a hexagonal based crystalline structure that makes it stronger than coal, but both are simple carbon based materials."

"Wrong Mr. Rosen," Professor Snape snapped out. "Or more precisely, not the information I was requesting." He grinned wickedly, "Would you like to try again?"

David felt his face burning under the scrutiny. Finally he managed to choke out, "Then I am unsure of the nature of your inquiry, sir. Outside of coal being what Santa leaves in the stockings of bad little girls and boys, and diamonds being a girl's best friend, I'm unsure of your question."

"Are you trying to be amusing Mr. Rosen," again there was the disdain in his voice at the mention of his name.

David shook his head, "No, sir. Just trying to be precise."

"Then you are failing, Mr. Rosen. As you will fail my course if you don't pay attention, five points from Gryffindor." He turned to the class, "Can anyone tell me the differences between diamond and coal for the use in potions?" Hermione's hand shot up, but the professor ignored it. "Anybody?" After a few moments, he sighed and said, "All right Miss Granger. Can you tell us the difference?"

Hermione stood up and quoted as if from a book, "Diamonds are used in several antidotes for poisons and potions while coal is often used as an ingredient in them."

"Correct, Miss Granger," Snape said reluctantly before turning back to David. "Perhaps you need to spend more time studying with Miss Granger and less time rearranging the castle furniture Mr. Rosen."

David nodded and replied, "Yes, sir."

The rest of the class continued in that vein, and David got the definite feeling that the other man disliked him and from the tone of his voice when he said David's last name, he had a good idea why. His mother had warned him about it. Europe still had a serious problem with anti-Semitism and since he had a Jewish last name, he was beginning to realize that he was going to catch the brunt of that problem. The fact that he'd been raised Scots Catholic had nothing to do with the situation what so ever. He briefly considered the option of dropping trou in class prove he wasn't Jewish, but discarded the idea as upsetting the greasy little man even further. Besides, as far as he was concerned, there was nothing wrong with being Jewish.


	5. The Sorcerer's War Revealed

Disclaimer:

JK Rowling owns Harry and Crew and I am using them without her permission. I own the Pride. No money exchanges hands here, and all this is simply for the fun of telling what I hope is a good story.

Author's Note:

I've decided to use the British form of the Philospher's Stone. It would be too confusing to call it a sorcerer's stone in this story, and I always thought it was dumbing down the audience to not call it by its true name.

Noah sat back in his desk in Professor McGonagal's Transfiguration class and listened carefully. For the most part, very little of it made sense. He understood how David was able to carry out the transfigurations that he did, but they were more along the nature of the elements trying to please him than any real magic. He had some theories on how to use his own powers to get the same effect, but that came more from his understanding of molecular bonds. He understood that he had no real talent for true magic. That was Nelson's department, and his pridemate was in his element here. Noah took a secret pleasure in watching Nelson excel at magic.

Of all his pridemates, it was Nelson he'd known the longest. They'd met once before in Atlanta when both of them were living off the streets and selling anything of value they could get their hands on to get by, their bodies included. Although he hadn't met her yet, Noah knew that Delia had been with him at the time, and that Nelson was hustling to keep Delia from having to. For reasons that even to this day Noah couldn't explain, he had flat out given Nelson the money to get him and Delia out of Atlanta and down to Florida, where they'd eventually met up again several years later when the Pride was formed.

"Mr. Hale?" Professor McGonagal's voice brought him out of his reverie. "Would you care to repeat what I just said?"

Noah smiled up at her and nodded. Letting his mind sift back over the last couple of minutes, he relieved what was going on in the background while he'd been day-dreaming- eidetic memory had its advantages. "Yes, ma'am. You said, "The key to any successful transfiguration of simple inanimate objects to small creatures is concentration."

Professor McGonagal gave him a wry smile and said, "Very good Mr. Hale. I was afraid that for a moment there you were wool-gathering. Five points to Gryffindor."

"Thank you ma'am," Noah said as he smiled back and tried to pay closer attention. He understood much of the basic theory of how magic worked; he just had no natural talent for it. He figured it was one of the balances the ancient mages who'd created the spiritwalkers had programmed into them. No mage could ever have his gifts, and he could never have the gifts of a mage. Still it was enlightening to be in here and learn about their training.

Once again, he found his mind drifting around the room. Noah wasn't by nature the kind of person who would eavesdrop on other people's thoughts, but like he'd told Hermione the night before, sometimes it was difficult to not read minds, especially when a strong emotion was involved. Hatred was one of the strongest emotions around and right now the blond boy who'd been trying to harass David the other night at the sorting was literally seething with it.

"Looks like Granger has some competition for who can do the most tricks for the teachers," Malfoy said lowly to the big guy sitting next to him. Then more loudly he added, "Professor McGonagal, why don't you have our new student demonstrate exactly why he's in this class."

McGonagal turned and gave the boy a disapproving look and said, "Mr. Malfoy, it is I who will determine who will demonstrate what in this class, not you. Five points from Slytherin."

"It's all right, Professor McGonagal," Nelson interrupted. My teacher back home taught me this spell. If you would like I can demonstrate it."

_I don't think he meant you_, Noah sent through the link.

_I know. But maybe this will put him in his place,_ Nelson sent back.

Professor McGonagal smiled and said, "Very well Mr. Funakoshi. You may proceed."

Noah watched as Nelson stood and smiled. _Watch, Kitten_, Nelson said through their link. He cleared his throat and traced the runes in the air with wand as he said, "**Strengr gera fugl**". The scroll on his desk glowed, contracted and became a small hummingbird that began to buzz around the room to the delight of the other students. Finally the bird came to light on the desk in front of Nelson again, and he waved his wand once more and the bird once again became the scroll on which he was writing.

"Very well done Mr. Funakoshi," Professor McGonagal said.

"But Professor!" Malfoy protested, "He didn't use the same spell you were teaching us!"

"Actually I think he did," Hermione interjected. "He was just using another language." She paused and looked up at Professor McGonagal. "Am I right, Professor?"

"Quite right, Ms. Granger." Professor McGonagal said. "Can anyone tell me which language he was using?"

A dark headed girl raised her hand.

"Ms. Chang?"

"Old Norse Professor. He was using Old Norse, and his wand work was a form of galdr."

"Very good, Ms. Chang. Five points to Ravenclaw for recognizing the language and another five points for recognizing rune work." Turning back to Nelson, she said. "You may sit down now Mr. Funakoshi." Nelson nodded and complied.

"What about him?" Malfoy asked and pointed to Noah. "Where's his wand? Let's see him do the spell."

"Mr. Malfoy!" Professor McGonagal said. "I will not tolerate this kind of interruption or badgering in my classroom. I am the teacher here, not you. You will see me after class for extra homework! Take another five points from Slytherin." Malfoy sat down fuming.

"As was explained to you at the sorting, not all of our guests use the same kind of magic as we do. Not all of them have the same kinds of gifts," Professor McGonagal said. "Some, like Mr. Hale here have magical gifts in other areas."

A short dumpy looking boy with a Spockian haircut raised his hand and asked, "Can you explain that, Professor? What is a spiritwalker?"

Professor McGonagal sighed and turned to face Noah. "I see, Sir Nicholas' comment at dinner last evening has spread. Very well." She took a deep breath and began explaining.

"In the distant past, several races in the wizarding community, including a group of powerful vampires were afraid that one person or one group would gain too much power and use it to do horrible things to the world. They therefore created a balancing power to themselves and denied all wizards, witches, and other supernatural creatures for all times the powers they gave to the spiritwalkers and their, uh… uh… companions, the elementalists. This pair had control of the powers of the mind, and of the elements, and acted enforce the peace for the wizarding communities for many centuries."

"What happened to them?" Ron asked.

"They were betrayed by dark wizards, and destroyed at the Battle of Carpathia during the Sorcerer Wars. Since then there's been chaos and danger among those of us with the wizarding gift as well as the other supernatural races."

"So, how did they return?" Ms. Chang asked.

"Not all have," Professor McGonagal explained. "Mr. Hale is the first spiritwalker to be born in over four hundred years."

"Sounds like Potter may have some competition for attention this year," another boy in Slytherin robes commented.

"I think that's about enough," Professor McGonagal said as she took the front of the room. "Now back to our lessons." Good as her word, there was no more mention of the Battle of Carpathia or of spiritwalkers for the rest of the class.

Later at lunch, Noah sat quietly watching the other students around him. Noah was at heart a people watcher, something he got from his mother. He figured that if he watched how people interact with each other, he might learn a lot about them. Of course that was a habit he'd picked up before his powers manifested themselves. So intent on his people watching was he that he failed to notice Ron and Harry sit down at his table until Ron spoke.

"Uh listen, Noah. We were wondering if you'd like to go with us down to the Quidditch pitch this afternoon for some practice." Noah almost jumped out of his skin, at the sound of Ron's voice.

"What's Quidditch?" Noah asked.

"You're right," Ron said to Harry. "He's as bad as you were."

"You guys tend to forget that not all of us are raised in the wizarding world. There are things you take for granted that we don't know about." He shrugged and paused, "Besides, I remember reading in Quidditch Through the Ages that the Americans have another game they play. I forget its name. Sort of like American muggles having their own version of football."

"Now I'm the one that's lost," Ron said. He turned to Noah, "So you want to come and play or not?"

Noah shrugged and asked, "What time?"

"Four o'clock. Right after Professor Bin's puts us all to sleep with History of Magic," Ron said.

"That bad?" Noah asked.

"No, it could actually be interesting, but for some reason Professor Bins seems to go out of his way to make the subject boring."

"I've had a few of those classes before," Noah told them. "Usually they're right after lunch."

"Exactly," Ron said. Then turning to Harry he added, "See I told you he'd understand."

Noah smiled and looked around. For now the dining hall was fairly empty, with only small groups of students studying here and there. So far there was no sight of any of the rest of his pride. He could feel their presence down the link he shared with all of them, but it wasn't the same as having them close by so he could touch them. "Okay, I'll be there. Four o'clock. I'm assuming that big stadium-like structure on the south lawn with the giant bubble-blowing sticks is where you're talking about."

"You got it," Harry said.

"Good! I can't wait to introduce you the greatest sport in the wizarding world."

Noah couldn't help but smile at Ron's exuberance.

As Gryffindor and Ravenclaw houses poured into Professor Bin's classroom, Harry noted with some interest that this was the first class where he'd seen all six of the pride in the same class. Watching them interact, he understood how they got the name. As each one of them joined the group there was a touch, a nudge, or a playful jab from the others until it seemed that they'd all touched each other in some way. It was almost as if they were reassuring themselves that each of them was okay.

Much to Harry's and everyone else in the class's surprise, Ron's predictions about Professor Bin's History of Magic class turned out to have anything but its usual soporic effect. For a ghost, Professor Bins was absolutely animated as he warmed to his subject.

"Today class, we are going to discuss the Werewolf Wars that ended in the 1400s or as they would be more accurately described, the Sorcerer's War. It all began when a young muggle by the name of Bartholomew discovered the existence of magic, and that not everyone was gifted with its use. This fact so offended Bartholomew that he went in search of other forms of power, and in doing so he discovered the Dark Arts- sometimes called sorcery."

"But aren't we sometimes called sorcerers?" Lee Jordan asked.

"Professor Bins smiled and said, "Right you are. But it's an inaccurate term. Technically we're wizards, witches, or mages. Sorcery takes no real talent. It doesn't use magic as we know it, but instead relies on contact with extra-planar- usually infernal- forces who bargain power and spells for blood and life-force. Only a wizard born can use true magic, but anybody can use sorcery."

"Is that why the Dark Arts are tempting?" Hermione asked. "Because it's so easy to use."

"Well, I wouldn't call it easy to use, but it doesn't drain a wizard's personal reserves. It comes from somewhere else." Professor Bins said. "Good question though." He then shocked everyone in the room by saying, "Give five points to Gryffindor for your insight, Ms. Granger." In five years, Harry had never heard of Professor Bins giving a single house point.

"Well, this Bartholomew found what he was looking for in spades. He not only discovered the existence of true magic, but in his search for more power, he discovered the other supernatural races as well, and made it his life's work, no several lifetimes work, to destroy anything he deemed to be _unnatural_. Thus was born The Directive, an organization at first under the auspices of the Church and then later becoming independent, that is devoted to the hunting and destruction of all that they deem as unnatural."

"Over the years, Bartholomew began breeding werewolves to use as operatives and eventually highly rarified hunters from that stock who could track down and kill most wizards and supernaturals." Bins shook his head, "It was a dark time for our kind. Only the existence of some very powerful wizards, and the intervention of a quartet of very old and very powerful vampires stood between him and the total annihilation of wizarding kind. That and the existence of the spiritwalkers and the elementalists, created several centuries before." Bins actually smiled over toward where Noah and David were sitting next to each other.

"It was a full scale war carried out under the very noses of the muggles, under the pretense of everything from the War of the Roses to some of the latter Crusades. Finally, at the Battle of Carpathia, a part of the war carried out under the auspices of an attempted Muslim expansion into the Slavic countries, Bartholomew was able to deal a crushing blow to Wizard-kind. He managed to hunt down, drain, and destroy the last of the spiritwalkers. It has taken us almost six centuries to have them returned to us, and to be able to deal with those who practice the Dark Arts effectively- our recent troubles with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named not withstanding."

Lee Jordan raised his hand, "Professor Bins?"

"Yes Mr. Jordan?"

"How did these new wizards return? What can they do?"

Professor Bins smiled, "Well, I'm not up on everything that has happened, but I know what has been drifting through the Departed Network. Evidently, the Directive did something to release the spiritwalkers, the first being released about seventeen years ago. When this spiritwalker was born, his counter part followed not long afterward. About three years ago, they were drawn together, and were forced into a battle with Brother Bartholomew around the city of Miami. I am told they won with the assistance of a troupe of very powerful vampires, the same four who were at the Battle of Carpathia."

"Vampires? I thought they were all evil, working for You-Know-Who," Ron commented.

"Not all vampires are evil. Some of the oldest are simply very powerful individuals who've been cursed. Many give in to their curse, but not all. It is these vampires that we owe the existence of the spiritwalkers and the elementalists to"

"But if Brother Bartholomew was founded the Directive over six hundred years ago, how did he survive until now?" Hermione asked. "Did he have another Philosopher's Stone?"

"As you, Mr. Weasley, and Mr. Potter are well aware, there are many ways to preserve life past its mortal limits besides the Philosopher's Stone. In the case of this particular Sorcerer, I understand he did it by possessing the bodies of his descendents." Harry couldn't help but notice that Ron shivered at the memory of his sister being possessed by the spirit of Voldemort during their second year.

The rest of the class passed with general dates and places of great battles during the Sorcerer's War. It sounded to Harry like much of the history he learned in muggle-school was simply a reflection of the Sorcerer's War and something very important became apparent to him. What they did here, in the wizarding world, had an impact not only on themselves, but on the muggles as well.

He watched as the other students filed out of classes. Soon he would be in a position to make his move. Soon Hogwarts would be no more. The young wizards and witches here would either become part of the Great Pack, or they'd be lunch. The Directive would be rebuilt. His masters would have their revenge on those damned unnaturals who interfered with the natural order of the world. This he promised himself as he watched to see who would be the first he'd turn.


	6. Flying High

Author's Note: J.K. Rowling owns what she owns, and I own what I own, and the Mouse owns the character and fictional city I alluded to. Enjoy.

Brendan indicated a spot next to where Hermione was studying on the grass next to the Quiddich pitch. To his surprise, and Noah's delight, it was a rare clear afternoon with the sun shining bright. "Is this seat taken?" he asked of the dishwater blonde as he plopped down next to her on the ground.

Smiling up at him, she replied, "Not at all."

"Good," he smiled back as his gaze turned to where Noah, Ron, and Harry were standing around three brooms.

"Is this some form of broom ball?" he asked.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Broom ball. A friend of ours, she's from Angel Grove, California told us about it."

She smiled back at him and said, "I don' think so, unless your friend is a witch."

"No, there's a lot of words to describe her, but witch isn't one of them," he chuckled. "She's a gymnast among other things."

"It's Quiddich, a wizard sport."

"So what are the brooms for?"

She chuckled and put the book in her lap down before saying, "For flying of course. But if what I've been reading is accurate, I'm afraid that your friend isn't going to be able to use one. You have to be a wizard to fly on one of them."

"Noah doesn't need a broom to fly. If he's got a clear day like today, he can just take off and fly on his own. It drives some of our friends including Dead Guy Number One crazy when he does it though. They're afraid he's going to be seen."

"Dead Guy Number One?"

Brendan smiled and it was his turn to chuckle before replying, "Sorry, Nicholai LeCroix, the Chancellor of our city. I call him that because he's a very old vampire."

Hermione seemed to be shocked by that revelation. "You know a vampire?"

"I know several vampires," Brendan told her. "Vampires are very much a part of the unnatural politics of our city." He decided against revealing that Vincent, or Professor Grey as she called him, and as he'd been instructed to do so as well, was one of the oldest vampires on the planet, and that she and all the rest of the students of Hogwarts were perfectly safe around him. Vincent very much believed in Garion Leger's rule about not feeding on children.

"I thought they were all evil," she said.

"Just like you thought all werewolves were evil?" he asked knowingly.

With a slight blush she nodded and replied, "Touché."

Turning her attention back toward the pitch, her mouth fell open as she watched Noah take laps around the pitch, sans a broom. "But no wizard can fly without a broom!" she protested.

"Noah's not a wizard," he told her. "He's a spiritwalker. Different rules apply to him."

"What kind of rules?" she asked turning a penetrating gaze on him.

Brendan smiled and shrugged before saying, "First of all, those wands you guys carry is pretty useless to him as anything other than a back scratcher, and to most of the rest of us too for that matter. We couldn't use magic if we wanted to."

"So what do you do?" she asked.

"Well, Noah's a spiritwalker. He can read minds, project his thoughts, talk to the dead, a powerful Teke, and seems to live off ambient energy, preferably sunlight."

"Teke?" she asked.

It was Brendan's turn to blush. He kept forgetting that these wizards and witches didn't live in both the unnatural and natural world, but instead had separated themselves from the normals around them. She probably had never heard of _Babylon 5_. "Sorry, it's from a television show. Teke means telekinetic. He can fly using that if he wanted, but he uses that combined with his energy manipulation. He tried to explain it to me once, but it was beyond me. It had something to do with magnetic waves and telekinetic lift surfaces."

"Harry's one of the best seekers in years."

Brendan watched as the three circled the field making loop the loops and barrel rolls. Finally, he said, "He does seem to be rather good."

Then shrugging, he leaned back and watched Noah enjoy himself. He could feel Runt's joy at being able to fly flow down the link he shared with the whole pride and that more than anything quelled many of his misgivings about this trip. "As for the rest of us; Nelson's a mage, a wizard as you call them. Our teacher back home was Asatru, so she taught him in the old Nordic traditions of Galdr, Spae, and Saeth. He tends to use a lot of runes. He's come here to learn what another friend of ours calls a less violent form of magic."

"Delia can walk through walls without having to first knock them down. Actually, she's rather good at that kind of thing, but she won't let on about it. If you don't pay close attention to her, you'd think that she was a brain dead mall rat."

"Sharon is an empath, and a certifiable genius. She can make a computer do whatever she wants it to." Then remembering that she might not know what a computer is, he added. "A computer is an information storage and retrieval device."

"I know what a computer is, Brendan. I'm muggle born and was raised as one until I got my letter."

Brendan shrugged and gave her a sheepish grin, "Sorry, sometimes I'm not sure what some of these wizards know and what they don't. I had the devil of a time trying to explain electricity to this girl with bright orange hair."

"That's Ginny Weasely. Don't let her fool you. She knows a lot more about muggle ways than she lets on."

Brendan smiled and continued, "David of course is an elementalist. He can manipulate the elements. I've seen him change lead crystal to gold."

"What about you?" she asked. "What is your special gift?"

Brendan smiled, "I'm a primal tiger."

"What does that mean?" she asked.

"It means that that I can whip twice my weight in werewolves by myself."

She chuckled at him. "I've seen a werewolf, a true-breed from what I've been told. He already has twice your weight."

It was Brendan's turn to chuckle before he said, "You don't understand. I mean twice my weight in my other form, and that's over three quarters of an imperial ton."

"Impressive," she said as she looked back to the Quiddich pitch. The three of them were now involved in a very intricate game of keep away with a large brown ball. Harry was flying circles around Ron, and Noah was having trouble keeping up with the boy on the broom himself. It was clear that all three boys were having a wonderful time.

"Too bad they probably won't let him play Quiddich without a broom," Hermione said. He looks like he'd be very good. He's obviously enjoying himself."

"Noah's not that much of a competitor. As he likes to put it, he'd rather try to teach people to play nice in the sand box," Brendan told her.

"Uh oh," Hermione said beside him, "Malfoy."

Brendan turned and followed her gaze to where the platinum blond that had tried to insult David was walking down the path leading to the Quiddich pitch with two other boys; all three were carrying brooms. Then spotting Brendan and Hermione, the three altered their course to come within speaking distance. As they walked past, Malfoy said, "Oh look, the mudblood has a new friend, one of the Yanks."

Brendan looked at her and mouthed, "Mudblood?"

"Muggle-born" she said softly. "Some wizarding families think they're better than others because they've been at it so long."

Brendan nodded in acknowledgment and got to his feet. These three looked like they were spoiling for trouble. Although he knew in his head that Noah could take care of himself- he'd seen the evidence first hand- he still felt that it might be better if he was there to step in. After all, facing down a huntress is one thing, a school yard bully could be entirely different.

Malfoy and crew pointedly ignored them as he fell in beside them. As they passed through the gate to the pitch, the bigger of the boy- he thought he remembered his name was Crabbe- made to shut it in Brendan's face. Brendan caught the heavy iron contraption in one hand and shoved back. The gate clanged off Crabbe's forehead and sent him flying to the ground to land on his backside.

"Oops, sorry," Brendan said as he followed the other two into the pitch watching Crabbe writhe on the ground holding his nose.

"Come on, and stop lying on the ground like a git," Malfoy told Crabbe as he continued to ignore Brendan.

_"Kitten, I think there might be trouble brewing down here for you guys,"_ Brendan sent down the link to Noah.

"What kind of trouble?"

_"Looks like that Malfoy idiot is here to try and throw his weight around, or at least the weight of his two friends."_

_ "Be right there."_

_ "Don't on my account, I think I can handle them."_

_ "I still think I should come down. What if he has a wand?"_

_ "Then I'll take it away from him and shove it up his ass."_

_ "Brendan, play nice."_

"What is this, some kind of joke?" Malfoy asked the other boy with them as he watched Ron, Harry and Noah land on the pitch. "Two orphans with Weasley tagging along looking for crumbs no doubt."

Brendan watched as Ron and Harry began to fume. Noah just sort of sniffed the air and turned to Harry and asked in the tone one might expect from and English Aristocrat, "Who is this person, Harry and what is he yammering about?"

For a second Harry seemed to be taken aback by Harry's indifference and then caught the wink the smaller boy sent him. Harry turned to face Noah and with same dismissive tone as Harry replied, "Draco Malfoy, he's not important."

"Ah, I seem to remember hearing something about a Malfoy. I think they were arrested by something you call the Aurors for breaking into the Ministry of Magic's Headquarters to try and steal something." He paused and turned to Draco and asked, "Tell me Mr. Malfoy, since you seem to put such stock by parentage, are you a common thief like your father."

The blond boy's face began to turn bright red as he sputtered. "How dare you speak to me like that!" Behind him, his remaining henchman charged forward to go after Noah. With a quick and almost negligent backhand, Brendan sent the other boy flying backwards toward Goyle . He could smell the blood from the boy's broken nose.

Draco, Ron, Hermione and Harry all went for their wands simultaneously. Brendan felt a rush of power flow down the pride's link as Noah reacted. Malfoy's hand slammed back as if it had been hit by a heavy object, his wand flying to Brendan's feet.

Ignoring the fact that the other boy just tried to attack him, Noah asked again, "Did you have something to say Draco?"

Cringing backwards from them, he shook his head nervously as Harry walked over and picked up the fallen wand. He made to hand it back to Draco when Noah said. "No, it's mine."

"But I thought you couldn't use a wand," Hermione protested.

Noah just smiled at her. "I could always use a back scratcher."

"The ministry will hear about this! My family still has friends, powerful friends!"

Noah took the wand and looked at it for a moment before turning back to Malfoy and saying, "Tell you what. If you leave now, and act like a civilized human being, you can pick it up in an hour from Professor McGonnagal. If you want to keep fighting about it thought, I'll simply break the damn thing and be done with it."

"You wouldn't dare!" Malfoy protested.

Noah stepped up to the bigger boy, his voice dropping low, "Don't make the mistake of underestimating me, Draco. I've fought werewolves, huntresses, vampires, and sorcerers and lived. I've had to do things in order to survive that would turn your stomach. Snapping some poor-little-rich-boy's wand who needs a good lesson in manners wouldn't even phase me." Noah smiled and sent another surge away from the link. "Now either play nice and go see the transfiguration teacher to get your wand back in an hour," he paused and took the wand in both hands, "or do I break it now?"

The color drained from Malfoy's face as he turn and ran straight toward the main building. "Professor Snape will hear about this!"

"I look forward to it."

Ron, Harry, and Hermione suddenly broke out in gales of laughter. "I've," Ron said "always" between laughs, "wanted to do something like that!"

"Brilliant," Hermione said. "According to the school rules, you've just confiscated the wand of someone brawling. If you turn it in immediately, then Griffyndor can collect a substantial amount of Slytherin's House Cup points."

Noah just nodded to her and smiled before he turned to Harry and asked. "So do you think we can come out and practice flying some more later?"

"Definitely! I'll have to ask Professor Hooch if you would be allowed to play without a broom."

All five left the Quiddich pitch feeling better than they had since they arrived.


End file.
